How does that work? When I think of an epidemic being “fueled,” I think of what is causing the epidemic. In the case of AIDS, it is not caused by “stigma,” “violence” unless that violence involves something physical that would pass on the HIV virus, or “indifference” unless a person chooses to be indifferent to the danger of the disease.

Science and money would not be enough to beat the epidemic, he said: “We need love. If that word makes you a bit uneasy – if you associate it with Disney and schmaltz, let’s call it something else.” Compassion or kindness were two suggestions.

But he added: “It’s been three decades of this epidemic, and we have seen how human beings react when those around them become HIV positive.”

If science and money cannot “beat” the disease, then we will never be rid of it, unless those at risk, stop the risky behavior. We know that children with AIDs have had no risky behavior, so that leaves only science and money. Compassion, love, kindness heals nothing but broken, grieving, sad and/or angry hearts and minds. A miracle will work though. Somewhere in the world of AIDS, surely miracles have happened.

If you have HIV, this might be your miracle – a cure for both HIV and Leukemia in the same patient! In the video below of the man who was cured, HIV is equated with AIDS. It’s not clear if full-blown AIDS will react to the treatment in the article with the same success. In this story, “compassion” did play a part, because the same donor donated stem cells twice.

Later in Elton John’s speech in Washington, D.C., he praised George W. Bush for the $15 Billion he committed to AIDS research and education:

If this country wanted to end HIV infections at home it could do so in a heartbeat,” he said. “All it takes is a bit more funding and a bit more understanding. All it takes is dialogue.”

So it does come down to more funding, and he had to admit it (but forgot the risky behavior). All this silly talk of the AIDS epidemic being fueled by stigma, violence and indifference is just the same old Liberal verbosity. Sounds good. Means nothing.

But maybe the “Sir” is saying, it takes, “love,” “compassion,” and “kindness” to whip-up the money for a cure, especially when scientists are desperately trying to find cures for so many diseases that are not behavior related. He’s right about that. We only have so much money to donate, whether individually or federally, courtesy of our tax dollars. We have to pick and choose. St. Jude’s or HIV AIDS? I have a lot of compassion for EVERY terminally ill person. I am a kind person, but I have to make choices, as do those who put themselves in harms way. It’s no different from driving drunk. You might die. You’ll probably kill someone else.

UPDATE: A Free Republic reader points out that children of child predators also have no choice, and I agree with that. He/she also says that Elton John is a promoter of the abolishment of “age of consent.” What I have found is that “Sir” wants “equal age of consent,” so two ten year old boys can do some exploring. Thanks to MrEdd.

Adrienne and Maggie.. I have no fear of Aids.. as far as I’m concerned it’s an epidemic of fashion. The real epidemic is Cancer. I don’t know a single person that’s had or died of aids in my community of friends and clients. I have experienced Cancer deaths in my family, friends, and people I know. That’s the epidemic, not this fashionable thing called Aids. Like Adrienne said.. the zipper is the armour against this killer.

I knew one of the first people to die of AIDS in the US, back in the 70s. He just wasted away from some mysterious disease that left him bruised all over. It was the start of the epidemic. This guy was a gay blade. A dear friend, also gay, once told me — when I asked — what the infamous “baths” were like. Well, to be brief, it was non-stop, anonymous sex in cubicles like those at a swimming pool, with just a curtain over the area with its bench. Drinking, drugging, sex, for hours and hours at a time. I would say to Sir Elton, that is the source of the epidemic, not “emotions” or “fears” or “phobias”. It was pure animal lust of the most depraved sort, behavior condoned by the community as a whole. The details of the disease seem somehow to get conveniently left out of the story. Of course, from the homosexual community, it has branched out into a whole community of unfortunates, including the innocent new-born. What a tragedy.

Norma, the people with the behavior you describe took it far beyond. In Africa, there is hardly a truck driver that is not infected. He goes home and then the wife gets it and she spends much of her life pregnant, so she passes it on to the poor child.

I am not against putting money into education and research, but it should never come before other research. If the education doesn’t do it, then we will never stop it.

I’ve had times when I felt that those with the risky behavior should be put someplace where they cannot get out and give it to someone else – like an involuntary quarantine. That’s another way to end it. It’s a pox on the whole of society in so many way.

The most important thing we can do to eradicate aids is prevention. There is cancer, heart diseases, dementia, congenital defect affecting children. Women suffering from infertility. Now that we have drugs that can keep HIV under control, people, knowing that, are going crazy because they don’t think they need to control themselves.